Stage apparatus



R. L. GEIE April 13, 1937.

STAGE APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1934 Patented Apr. 13, 1937 PATENT OFFICE STAGE APPARATUS Robert Lewis Gelb, Los Angeles.

Calif., assignor to Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc., New York. N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March z, 1934, serial No. 713,712

z claims. (ci. ca -1s) 'This invention relates to a new stage apparatus and has to do with the making of motion pictures.

An object of the invention is to obtain a tremendous productiohlvalue within a comparatively restricted area. This is accomplished by providing a plurality of inwardly facing mirrors arranged about a stage, and a support for a motion picture camera outside of the reflected area of the mirrors.

Another object of the invention is to gain entrance and exit from the stage space enclosed by a plurality of inwardly facing mirrors without disturbing them. 'Ihis is accomplished by providing a subterranean passageway, having one entrance within the enclosed space and' another entrance without the enclosed space.

Another object of the invention is to make a dolly or truck shot of action that may take place within the space defined by the inwardly facing mirrors. This is accomplished by providing an annular track circumscribing the upper edges of the inwardly facing mirrors.

Another object is to photograph from a closeup of an action component to a long shot thereof while gradually increasing the field of view of the camera to include the multiple reflections of the action components in the various mirrors. 'I'his is accomplished by providing above the space enclosed by the mirrors an overhead trolley carrying a suspended elevator platform upon which a motion picture camera may be supported. A non-actinic roller curtain is provided for each of the inwardly facing mirrors, whereby the elevator platform and the curtains may be simultaneously raised or lowered with their respective base lines in a. common horizontal plane.

For further details of the invention reference may be made to the drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of apparatus used to accomplish this invention. l

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in cross-section showing the mounting for one of the mirrors.

Fig. -3 is an end view of the mounting for one of the mirror curtains.

Referring now to Fig. 1, arranged about a stage I are a series of inwardly facing mirrors 2 to 9 inclusive. 'I'he mirrors may be placed to coincide at their adjacent edges or they may be conjoined by narrow ornamental pillars, such as III, II and I2. It will be understood that mirrors 2 to 3 may be mounted either resiliently or rigidly, as may best suit the individual location.

The mounting of the mirror 3 will be now more particularly described. The mirrors 2 to 9 and the supporting arrangements thereof are exactly similar to the arrangement that will be described in connection with the mirror 3. The base of mirror 3 is shown to be supported by a triangular frame member 35. A brace arm 36 is supported at its lower end by the apex of triangular frame 35 and at its upper end by a mirror frame 3T. The frame member 31 has suitable cross-arms 38 at the back of mirror 3 for rigidity. A bogie truck 39 is mounted at one end of the base of the frame 31 and a second bogie truck 40 is mounted at the opposite end thereof. A third bogie truck 4I is mounted at the apex of the triangular frame 35. As shown in Fig. 2 the mirror 3 rests on a projecting lip 62 of the frame member 31. A baseboard 42 is fastened to the lip 62 adjacent the bottom edge of the mirror 3 and substantially projects to the floor in order to form a cover for the bogie trucks 40 and 4I. This arrangement provides a mobile frame for the mirror 3 and facilitates movement thereof into any position that may be desired.

As will be understood, a greater or lesser number of mirrors than illustrated may be used, depending upon the configuration of the area to be enclosed.

A segmental platform 10 is built adjacent the upper edges of the mirrors 2 to 9 forming a track there-around. Platform III is supported by a scaffolding 42 which may be permanent or temporary as is most convenient. the platform 'I0 are adapted to flt together and form a continuous path around the upper edge of any closed figure formed by the mirrors. Access to the platform 10 is had by means of a stairway I3. The platform III may be used to support a lamp or lamps, such as Il, in order to illuminate an action component, such as a group of dancers or the like (not shown) within the area enclosed by the mirrors. The platform 10 is built of suchv stability that a dolly carrying a camera (not shown) may be trucked there-around in order to photograph action upon the stage I.

In order that the mirrors need not be disturbed to permit the entrance and exit of actors or others to the enclosed area, a tunnel I5 is provided be- 4 y neath the mirror 6. Tunnel I5 has one entrance I6 suitably covered by a trap door (not shown) inside of the area defined by the mirrors and another entrance I1 outside of the area so defined.

A pair of inverted T rails I8 are mounted above the stage I, outside of the field of view of mirrors 6 to 9. Rails I8 are supported by hanger bars, such as and 5I, depending from a cell- The segments of ing beam l2. An underslung trolley 2| is adapted to traverse the rails Il. The trolley 2l is built of standard Cleveland Tramway equipment. The trolley 2l consists mainly of two axle members 4I 5 and u, each supporting two pairs of wheels 4l, l.. 41 and 4l respectively in such a manner that one wheel of each pair rests on the inner arm and one wheel rests on the outer arm of its particular inverted T rail. The main body of the trolley lo 2l is supported underneath the rails Il by means of suitable hanger brackets and bearings (not shown) in the usual manner. The axle 42 andthrough it the wheels 4I and 40 are driven by means of an electric motor il through a diiferls ential gear Il.

A clutch member l2 is placed in the drive between motor I3 and differential N. The axle 4I rotatably supports two cable drums 2l and 20 suitably driven by means of a motor i1. Motors Il and l1 are supported between the axles 4I and 4I by suitable cross struts (not shown) and are energized from an overhead power line Il, through conductors Il and Il respectively. Drum 28 is provided with depending cables II and It attached to and supporting the front end of a camera platform 2l. through suitably positioned pulleys (not shown) mounted on the trolley 2|. Drum 2l is provided with depending cables il andl Il attached to and supporting the rear end 30 of the platform 3l through pulley ymembers i1 and Il mounted on trolley 2 I.

A motion picture camera I2 is supported by the platform Il. It is to be understood that horisontal movement of the trolley 2| and vertical movement of the platform Il as controlled by the speed of rotation of the drums 25 and 2i may be variably synchronized so that any desired angularmovement of the platform ll relative to the stage I may be obtained.

A cage Il depending from and suitably supported by the trolley 2| ls used to house the controls (not shown) of the motors Il and l1 so that an operator may sit therein and control movement of the trolley 2l and the platform Il as desired.

A roller curtain 32 mounted on a roller 'II with a crank 'I2 and which is preferably of black velvet, is provided for the mirror l and is s hown in Fig. 1 to be half-way drawn over the surface thereof.

5o Similar curtains and mountings are provided for each of the other mirrors. These curtains. such as u. may be suitably actuated either manually with crank 'I2 or otherwise, as will be well understood.

A revolving platform 0I is positioned in the center of the stage I upon which actors may perform during rotation thereof. Platform BI may be driven by any desired means (not shown) to produce variable speeds of rotation, under the w control of an operator remote therefrom.

In the operation of this device the camera 32 is supported directly in front of the mirror 8,

at which time the curtain Il will be completely lowered to cover the whole surface of the mirror. An actor or actors (not shown) will stand between the camera 32 and the curtain 2l. 'Ihe camera 22 will then be set in motion and a closeup photographed of the actor. Simultaneously with this photographing the trolley 2| will be moved along the rails Il and the cables II, Il. Il and Il wound up on the drums 2l and 20, thus obliquely traversing the camera out of the area enclosed by the mirrors. Simultaneously with themovement of the camera 22 the curtain u will be raised. care being taken to keep the base line thereof in the same horizontal plane with the base line of the platform Il, so that the photographing camera 32 will gradually record the increasing reflections of the action component in the various mirrors, without photographing its own reection.

In another case the curtains covering each of the 4mirrors 2 to i may be lowered and -a dolly shot taken from the platform 1I during which the curtains may be slowly raised in order to photograph action that takes place within the area defined by the mirrors, as well as the multiple reflections produced thereby. f

In still another case the camera 32 may be suspended above the center of the stage I. outside of the reflected area of the mirrors 2 to l, and variousangular shots photographed.

Thusitwillbeseenthatbytheuseofthis invention a vast number of unusual and pleasing scenes may be made in a small space and yet present to the eye of the camera the semblance of a tremendous production.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Stage apparatus comprising a pluralit of inwardly facing mirrors about a centrally locited stage space, a camera, means for suspending said camera, said means being adapted to lower. raise and move said camera horizontally above said centrally located stage space and out of reective range of said mirrors. a plurality of curtains, means for suspending a curtain in front of each of said mirrors. and means for removing said curtains from said mirrors as said camera is moved above the reflective range of said uncurtained mirrors to control the number of reflections as seen by said camera.

2. Stage apparatus comprising a polygonal array of inwardly facing mirrors. a rotatable stage enclosed thereby. means for suspending a camera at different heights above said stage. a plurality of curtains, means for suspending a curtain ln front of each of said mirrors. and means for raising said curtains while raising said camera. whereby said camera is adapted to move and remain out of the line of reflections from said mirrors.

` ROBERT LEWIS GEIB. 

